


Stale Stand-up at 11:20 pm

by rtmr



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hybrids, M/M, i guess, i know ill write not hybrids next time lmao, kid exo, might just leave this as a one shot too, uh idk pairings and ratings may change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 17:13:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13663587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rtmr/pseuds/rtmr
Summary: Sehun wants a kitty but life doesn't care for what a five year old wants.He cries over it. A lot.





	Stale Stand-up at 11:20 pm

“But, daddy! I want a kitty like Min-hyung!” A tiny foot stomps against the white, over waxed tile of the visiting room. The little boy was already stressed from the overwhelming smell of sterile walls clinging to his nose and the suffocation of layers of clothing for the cold, now he is faced with having to choose a dog hybrid, of all things. The child's face is close to tears, eyes glassy from not getting what he wants and his father remains undeterred.

 

“Sehun, I know baby, but puppies are all they have. At least, the ones your age. The other boys are much too old for you to play with,” his dad tries, but Sehun's lip quivers from pent up frustration. Before the young parent knows it, he has a wailing 5 year-old in the middle of the adoption center. There's a bit of murmuring from the other visitors hoping to adopt a hybrid of their own and Yixing's face burns with terror and embarrassment at not being able to calm down his own son.

 

“What's wrong, sweetheart?” A gentle voice speaks towards the inconsolable boy. Sehun looks up at the stranger through watery eyes. His soft, feminine features and even, sweet voice seems to help calm the young boy down. It's a rabbit hybrid, soft looking bunny ears pointed forward with utmost attention towards Sehun. It makes the young boy shy, his sobbing reduced to hiccuping.

 

“I came to...to get a kitty, but my daddy said that I can only get a puppy.” Sehun looks like he'll start crying again from the reality of his situation and Yixing's heart seizes at the sight. The hybrid before the young boy reaches out carefully, taking small, delicate fingers in his own soft hands.

 

“Can you tell me why you don't want a puppy?” The man questions, not in the least bit accusing, but Sehun shrinks away.

 

“B-because...” Sehun looks up at his father, who encourages his son to open up. “Min-hyung has a kitty, his name is Hannie and I like him so I wanted one too so I can play together with him.” The boy then bites his lip, his shoulders shaking just the tiniest bit.

 

“And you think that if you get a puppy, you won't be able to play with your friends?” The hybrid continues, putting a hand against Sehun's cheek so he could look at him eye-to-eye. His palm seemed to envelop the young boy's cheek almost completely, but it's a warm and pleasant touch, soothing. Sehun nods against it.

 

Yixing looks stunned that the other was able to ascertain what was troubling his son so easily. He had trouble even getting past the word 'kitty', afraid his son had somehow picked up a prejudice from somewhere. It turned out he was afraid of losing his friends, and his dad felt a bit eased, if only troubled that his son has difficulty confiding his worries with him.

 

“Oh, sweetheart, puppies can also play with your friends. It shouldn't matter what kind of person or hybrid they are. You like 'Hannie'. He's a kitty and you're a human. Even though he's a kitty, he still plays with you, right?” Sehun nods again, his tear tracks drying up as he contemplates this information.

 

“Then I don't think Hannie will have a problem with puppies. Kitties and puppies play together and they play together with humans. Give it a chance, and you might find a new friend here.” The young boy sniffles and wipes his nose against a brand new scarf, but he's able to understand what the other is telling him.

 

“Why don't you follow me to go see the puppies?” The hybrid holds out his hand, bending just the slightest so Sehun can comfortably hold onto it. Sehun takes it, following side by side with the rabbit while occasionally looking back to see if his father is following them. Yixing trails behind them reassuringly, extremely relieved that this person could actually convince his stubborn son to give the other hybrids a chance.

 

“What's your name, sweetheart?”

 

“...Sehun..,” the child mumbles, but the other praises him.

 

“What a nice name! Your daddy must have put a lot of thought into it,” The bunny looks back at Yixing with a gentle smile, causing the other to look away, flustered. Sehun also gets shy at the compliment, thanking the other man with muffled words as he dips his face a bit into his dirtied scarf.

 

“My name's Suho. I'm a bunny and I work here so boys like you can find new best friends.” “I already have a best friend..!” Sehun says with a tug of Suho's hand. He's beginning to look angry, cheeks puffed up and brows scrunched together. Yixing pauses, unsure of what to do if his son threw a tantrum again and he looks at the rabbit with wide, panicked eyes. Suho bends down a little more so he's closer to Sehun's eye-level, smile still serene.

 

“Of course, but don't you know that people can have more than one best friend?”

 

Sehun pauses. He didn't know that. Hannie is his best friend, but he could have another one, too?

 

“Daddy, is that true?” Sehun asks with uncertainty and looks back at Yixing. He smiles at his son's wide-eyes—it's like he's just found out some new secret.

 

“Yes, Hunnie, people can have a lot of good best friends. It doesn't make Hannie any less your best friend.”

 

“Oh...” Sehun looks relieved and gives Suho's hand a squeeze to silently tell him he believes him. His daddy never lies to him.

 

“Come on, they're just on the other side of this door,” Suho says, tugging gently on Sehun's small hand, just enough to coax him closer to the entrance to the rest of the building.

 

Suho pushes open the door, and they're greeted with too many smells. Sehun reels, pulling back just a bit but Yixing puts his hand on the back of his son's beanie, gently pushing him forward.

 

The walls are a nice, sunny yellow color, while the furniture in the larger living space vary in palettes, not at all actually fitting with each other. There are lounging chairs, couches, strewn pillows, bean bags and several hybrids spread around them. They don't look at the trio walking in, thoroughly occupied with books, electronics, or one of the large TV's mounted on a wall.

 

All the hybrids look to be no younger than adolescent in age, some even appearing much older, and it sends a little wave of anxiety down into Sehun's tummy. He ducks in between Suho and his dad, effectively hiding from hybrids that aren't really paying them much attention.

 

“Hey guys, is it okay if you clear out for a bit?” Suho says to the others, moving just a bit to the side to show the small, cowering child behind him. The other hybrids turn their heads, assessing Sehun and he turns around quickly, hugging Yixing's legs and burying his face into them. His father pats his head, giving Sehun gentle reassurance while the hybrids shrug or coo and start filing out of the common area.

 

“Thank you, guys,” Suho says, with a few sure's and yeah's from the retreating figures. “Let me go get the pups, they're with their teacher right now.” Suho gives them a quick smile as he heads into the halls.

 

Yixing admits he's surprised that the center even has education as one of it's resources for the hybrids. When he was a child, hybrids weren't generally required to attend any form of schooling, and now this adoption center had their youngest get tended to by a teacher.

 

He feels like he's made a right choice, after having done research beforehand. At least the pup they'll take home would know how to be in class together with his son when he starts school soon.

 

Sehun finally looks around the room, noticing that its empty and grabs his daddy's hand so he can gather the courage to step further inside. He spots an abandoned controller for the Playstation hooked up to a smaller TV on a coffee table and lets go of Yixing to run towards it. Min Hyung has one just like it, except this controller has a cable attached to the console. Sehun points at it excitedly while looking at his dad, trying to communicate that he wants him to turn it on.

 

“Sehun, we're here for a new friend, you can wait until you meet them,” Yixing tells his son gently enough as to not cause any implication that he's chastising Sehun for preferring the console to meeting the other hybrids. Just as Sehun's about to protest, Suho's walking back in, with an overeager pup pulling on his hand and the other perched on his hip, swaying just a bit with sleep.

 

“This is Chanyeol,” Suho introduces, and Chanyeol is practically jumping out of his skin at the sight of Sehun. “And this is--” before the rabbit can mention the other pup, Chanyeol finally breaks free from Suho, barreling towards Sehun.

 

It all happens in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, Sehun's looking up at the ceiling as Chanyeol looks down at him with an impossibly wide, manic grin. It doesn't register that the red-headed pup just tackled Sehun.

 

The next thing the child sees is his daddy looking horrified, hurriedly asking Sehun if he's okay. Though Sehun didn't initially feel any pain, the shock of seeing his dad look so scared, in turn, causes him to feel panic, and the dull pain to his back seems to increase ten-fold. Sehun is in too many new situations, new changes in his life, and he can't help his over-sensitivity.

 

He breaks into loud, piercing cries and Chanyeol hurriedly clambers off of the boy, who's reaching out for his father as he shakily sits up.

 

The pup starts apologizing, face flushing red and looking on the brink of tears as well. As Yixing reaches for his son, he's beat by a tiny, fluffy looking puppy making his way towards a stressed out Sehun. He plops himself in front of the boy and brings his head against his chest, resting his own head atop Sehun's and holding him in his arms.

 

Sehun tries squirming away from the pup that had been mostly asleep on Suho not even moments ago, but the little hybrid presses Sehun deeper into his embrace. Yixing looks towards Suho, who repeatedly bows and offers up meek apologies.

 

Yixing wants to pull the boys apart so he can comfort his son, but then something incredible happens. The puppy's hold is persistent, and Sehun gives up trying to run. Instead, he ends up wrapping his own arms around the hybrid and crying into his shoulder.

 

The father doesn't know what to do, and Chanyeol shifts from one foot to the other awkwardly. Suho also looks distressed for the first time since Yixing has observed him, but the thick atmosphere starts to dissipate as a small voice speaks.

 

“No more crying,” The puppy mumbles as he pulls back a bit, just so he can wipe the tears and snot from Sehun's face with his sleeve. Sehun looks up at the other with still shiny eyes and the child brings his own trembling hand up, brushing away the hybrid's own sympathetic tears that have been running down his chubby cheeks. “You, too,” he replies softly and his hand is a little rough, but it gets the job done.

 

“This is, well, Kai,” Kai tries looking up at Suho, who's just spoken his name, but Sehun is winding his arms around him again, seeking comfort. Kai goes back to holding the child, patting his head as if he were a pup himself.

 

“Chanyeollie, please apologize to Sehun.” Suho tells Chanyeol, who considered this with a split second of hesitation.

 

“I'm sorry, Sehun,” the pup tries, but he's frozen when he meets the child's eyes.

 

Sehun looks at his assaulter and glares, pressing against Kai in an attempt to get away when the red-head tries reaching out.

 

Chanyeol's lip quivers and his thin tail hides between his legs.

 

“Yeollie is really sorry,” Kai says against Sehun's beanie, and Sehun shakes his head.

 

“He just wants to be friends.” Sehun sniffles again, quieter and contemplative of what Kai tells him.

 

“I want to be friends! I want to be your friend!” Chanyeol nearly shouts in desperation and Sehun flinches. Kai shushes Sehun like a mother would to her child and Chanyeol deflates again.

 

“Remember, Chanyeol, indoor voices. We have to be mindful; sometimes people get scared when someone raises their voice.” Suho interjects from a careful distance and Chanyeol nods. He's always been louder, and as a child, it's natural that he has barely any filter. On top of that, his hybrid genes make him incredibly energetic and playful.

 

That isn't the case with Kai, however, as he's a much more paced pup, infinitely more interested in napping or watching others play from afar. Honestly, Suho worries, but as long as Kai remains healthy and content, there's really nothing else to be concerned for, other than his ability to make friends.

 

“Let's be friends..,” Chanyeol tries again, and with some reassurances from Kai, the red-head is able to lightly pat Sehun's head.

 

Sehun mumbles 'I guess' against the fabric of Kai's clothes and Chanyeol jumps for joy. His tail wags with so much intensity, his body shakes with the force of it.

 

Yixing watches on in amusement as Sehun lets himself get sandwiched between two pups—Chanyeol attempting to jostle the other two boys while Kai takes big whiffs of Sehun's scent. Sehun calms, and even starts nodding off as he's enveloped in the body heat of two hybrids.

 

Suho beams, extremely proud of how well the situation turned out, the boys having settled most of the conflict on their own. He directs his smile towards Yixing, who lowers his head, unable to meet the bright happiness of the rabbit. His own cheeks burn red and he keeps his own twitching grin directed at the ground.

 

When it's clear that Sehun's more than a little taken with Kai, Yixing decides the choice has already been made. Yet, when he attempts to separate them to let Sehun get to know Kai one-on-one, Sehun clings onto Chanyeol desperately. His knuckles turn white with how strongly he grips Chanyeol's sleeve.

 

“I thought you wanted to get to know Kai more, Sehunnie. Did you want to take Chanyeol home instead?”

 

To Yixing's surprise, Sehun starts stomping his feet.

 

“They're both my friends, so they _both_ have to come home.”

 

“Wait, Sehun, that's not what we agreed to--”

 

It's easy to get Sehun on the verge of tears, but this time, as his face began to flush red, both Chanyeol and Kai have the distraught boy wrapped up in a tangle of limbs. It is entirely unfair how Yixing is ganged up on by three pairs of wide, pleading puppy eyes.

 

He likes to think that, at the end of the day, he's firm with his son. However, Sehun has had him wrapped around his finger ever since he was first placed in Yixing's arms.

 

 

 

 

After he settles his son into the car, he's at least grateful that all three children fall asleep quickly on the ride back home.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> im marking this as complete lol
> 
> n e ways


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